Automatic clutch-release.



W. B. KEATOR. AUTOMATIC CLUTCH RELEASE.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.-

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1911.

QM lwNx wN v k v 9 1 C N m f 1 lnventd v Attorneys W. B. 'KEATCR. I

AUTOMATIC CLUTCH RELEASE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1911.

1 017 219. Patented Feb. 13,1912.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses Attorneys WARREN B. KEATOR, or FINDLAY, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 21,1911.Seria1,No. 634,398.

AUTOMATIC cLUTcH-RELEA E.

Patented Feb.

To all whom it mag concern: I

- Be it known that I, WARREN B. KEATOR, a citizen of the United, States,residing at Findlay, in the county-of Hancock and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Clutch-Release, of which thefollowing is 'a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in automatic clutch releases,and the primary object of the invention is the provision of a clutchrelease adapted for releasing a clutch when too great or sudden a strainor load is thrown upon the driven'element releasing the driven elementfrom the driving element without damaging the mach1nery.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an automaticclutch release, provided with means for taking care of the recoil andmeans for cushionedly retarding the motion caused by the sudden stoppageof the driven element, whereby the said driven element is automaticallyreleased from operative connection with the driving element.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an automaticclutch release which will enable the operator" to set the same at agiven or predetermined power application, whereby when the powerapplication between the driving shaft and driven shaft has reached thelimit, the said release will be automatically operated to disconnect thedriven from the driving element, thereby preventing breakage of thedriving element.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in lease.

the details of construction hereinafter de-' scribed and claimed, itbeing understood that changes in the precise embodiment of inventionherein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through aclutch and the automatic release, the same being shown is an elevationshowing one side of the re- Fig. 3 is a similar view'taken from theopposite side thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the driving shaft,which has mounted slidably thereon, and rotatable therewith, the clutchrelease 2, and the two clutch members 3 and 4which are adapted to'beoperated to effect the driven element 100 through the medium of theclutch engaglng and releasing-arms 5, which are operably connected withthe clutch release .2.

Rotatably mounted upon-the shaft 1 between two hubs 7 and 7 is a geareddisk 6,

having-teeth A, meshing with the driving gear A", the said hubs 7 and 7being held in relative position to themselves'and the disk 6 by means ofthe screw 8, thus causing the said hubs 7 to rotate wit-h the shaft 1 atalltimes. Upon each face of the flat portions 8 of the rotatable member6, is mounted the stationary lugs on guides 9 in which are secured thetwo circular rings 10, said rings being cylindrical in cross section,and concentric with the periphery of the disk 6. Mounted upon the rings10 between the said lugs 9 are the main tension spring 11 and the shortrecoil spring 12, while carried by the hubs 7 and 7 respectively, arethe spiders 13 and 13 respectively, their outer ends being provided withthe cylindrical sleeves 14, which fitupon the-rings, 10' and have thesaid springs 11 and 12 abut opposite sides thereof, so as to retain thesaid of pounds pressure required to actuate the automatic release.Adjustably mounted in this slot is a stud or bolt 17 held relativelythereto by means of a nut 17 and the head 17", said stud 17 being set atthe desired limit and to have-its head 17 engaged by the outenend of thecurved trip lever 18 which is pivoted at 19 to the hub 7, the other freeend 20 'of said trip lever being pivoted to the inner end of the arm 21,which is made fast to the clutch release 2. By this means it will beseen that any undue pressure thrown upon the driven element 100 willcause the spiders 13 and 13 to be moved in the direction of the spring11 thereby moving the trip lever 18 within the graduated slot 15 to abutthe rigidly held head 17 of the stop or stud 17, causing the actuationof the free end 20 of said lever to release the clutch 2 and o erate theclutch members 3,and.4 so that t e driven element A will be permitted tobe free from the driv-ing element 1, thereb permitting the drivingelement to rotate reely without being affected by the jarv of thestoppage of the driven element- A.

By means of the recoil springs 12 when 14) the clutch members 3 and 4are thrown into operation after the driving element A has been releasedof the obstruction, any recoil or sudden jar occasioned by the startingof the clutch will be taken care of by means of the same. The tension ofthe springs 11 and 12 are so arranged as to hold the spiders 13 and 13normally in the position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the neutral positionof said spiders being of course near the lugs 9 upon 0 the,side of thecoil spring 12.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the drawings, it is evidentthat a spring cushioned clutch releasing device is provided that willautomatically release a clutch when any obstruction is thrown upon theelement 100, and by means of said release the driving shaft l ispermitted to rotate freely upon the driven element A and thereby preventany injury to the driving element. By means of the graduated slot 15 thepressure desired to actuate the automatic clutch may be regulated, sothat should the pressure necessaryto operate the element 100 beapproximately 300 pounds, 35 the said'trip lever may be set to actuatethe automatic release at 325 pounds, thus providing an automatic releaseand governor mechanism for operating the clutch members 3 and 4. It willalso be noted that this construction of release device may be applied toany shafting, where clutches are employed, and that any form of clutchmay be used in connection with the release, it simply being necessary toconnect the clutch with the trip lever 18at its arm 20 to produce anoperable mechanism. a

What is claimed is; y

1. The combination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mounted thereon,of a clutch release, comprising a rotatably mounted wheel, a ringsecuredto one side thereof, a spider made fast to the shaft, a pluralityof terminals carried by the, spider, said terminals being slidably.mounted upon said ring,

ISO

. means to cushionedly secure the spider to the wheel to cause the wheelto-rotate with the shaft, and means operably connected to y the spider,wheel, and clutch for operatingthe clutch.

0 v 2. The combination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mountedthereon, of a clutch release, comprising a rotatably mounted wheel, aring secured to one side thereof and concentric with the peripherythereof, a

spider made fast to the shaft and adjacent the wheel, a plurality ofterminals carried by said spider and slidably mounted upon said ring,means mounted upon the rin to cushionedly secure the terminals and t espider to the wheel and cause the shaft to rotate with the wheel, andmeans operably connected to the spider, wheel and clutch for operatingthe clutch.

3. The combination with a driving shaft, a clutch mounted thereon; of aclutch release, comprising a rotatably mounted wheel, a ring secured toboth sides thereof and concentric therewith, a-spider made fast to theshaft, one upon each side of said wheel, a series of terminals toeac'hspider slidably 30 mounted upon said rings, a tension spring and arecoil spring mounted upon said ring between the terminals of thespiders, and means operably connecting the spiders to the wheel andclutch for operating the clutch. f

4. The combination with a driving shag, and a clutch mounted thereon, ofa clutch release, comprising a rotatably mounted wheel, a ring securedto each side thereof concentrically of the wheel, a spider made fast tothe shaft upon each side of said wheel, a series of terminals to eachspider slidably connected to said rings, a recoil spring and a tensionspring mounted'upon the rings for each terminal of the spider, and atripping device operably connected with the spiders, wheel and clutchmechanism.

5. The combination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mounted thereon,of a clutch release, comprising a rotatably mounted wheel provided witha slot within its periphery, two rings mounted upon and carried by saidwheel one upon each side thereof and concentric with the peripherythereof, two spiders made fast to the shaft, 2. plu-' rality ofterminalsto each spider slidably secured to the rings of the wheels uponboth sides of said wheel, a tension spring and a recoil spring mountedupon the rings, one pair to each terminal of the spider, a trip leverpivotally connected to one of said spiders and having its free endsoperably connected with the slot in the wheel and with the clutchmechanism.

6. The combination with a driving shaft and a clutch mounted thereon, ofa clutch release, comprising a rotatably mounted wheel, a ring securedto each side thereof concentric with the periphery thereof, a spidermade fast to the shaft and upon each. side of said wheel, said spidershaving a series of arms the terminals of which are slidably connected tothe respective rings of the wheels, a recoil spring and a tension springmounted upon the rings one pair to each terminal of the spider, and atrip lever pivotally connected to the spider and havin one end operablyconnected with the whee 9' and the other operably connected with theclutch.

7. The combination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mounted thereon,of a clutch release comprising a rotatably mounted wheel, aring securedat equi-distant points upon each side of the said wheel and rotatabletherewith, two spiders made fast to the shaft and having terminalsslidably connected to said rings between the points of connection of thering to the wheel, two springs mounted upon the rings between saidpoints of connection thereof, to the wheel, one spring upon each side ofa terminal of the spider, and a clutch releasing lever operablyconnected to the wheel, one of the spiders, and clutch mechanism.

8. The combination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mechanism mountedthereon, of a clutch release, .comprising a rotatably mounted wheelprovided. with a curved or segmental slot through the body thereof, aring made fast at equi-distant points upon each face of said wheel andconcentric with the periphery thereof, two spiders made fast to theshaft and having their terminals slid ably connected to the respectiverings of the wheel between the points of connection of the rings to saidwheel, spiral springs mounted uponthe sections of the rings between thepoints of connection with the wheel and retaining the terminals of thespiders therebetween, and a trip lever having one end operably connectedto the slot of the wheel pivotally connected to one of the spiders andhaving the other end connected to the clutch.

9. The combination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mechanism mountedthereon, a clutch release comprising arotatably mount ed wheel providedwith a slot intermediate of its periphery and center, two ringsconcentrically mounted one upon each side of said wheel and having itspoints of connection equi-distant apart, two springs mountedmpon saidrings between said points of connection, two spiders made fast to theshaft and having their terminals slidably connected to the rings betweenthe opposed ends of the springs thereof and a. trip lever operablyconnected to one of said spiders and to the slot of the wheel and theclutch mechanism.

10. The combination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mechanism mountedthereon, of a clutch release, comprisin a rotatably mounted wheelprovided wit a slot interpoints of connection with the wheel, a spidermade fast to the shaft and having its terminals slidably connected tothe rings between the opposed ends of each pair of springs, and a triplever operably connected to the spider and to the wheel and to theclutch for operating the clutch. V

11. The combination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mounted thereon,of a clutch release comprising a wheel, a hub carried by and fast tosaid driving shaft to be operably connected with said wheel of therelease, cushioning means for retarding the movement of said wheelcarried by the shaft with relation to the wheel, means connecting saidwheel, and the hub made fast/to the shaft and the clutch mechanism foroperating the clutch through the medium of the wheel and said hu 12. Thecombination with a driving shaft, and a clutch mechanism, of a clutchrelease comprising a wheel mounted thereon and free to rotate withrelation to the shaft, two hubs mounted upon the said shaft, one uponeach side of said wheel, a ring made fast at equi-distant points uponthe two faces of said wheel near the periphery thereof, a series of armscarried by each hub andhaving their outer ends slidably connected; tothe rings of the wheel, said connection being between the connections ofthe ring to the wheel, means for cushioning the movement of the saidarms upon the rings, and a trip device operably connected to the wheel,hub and clutch mechanism.

13. The combination with a driving shaft, a member rotatably mountedthereon, and a clutch for operably connecting the shaft and membertogether, of a clutch release operably connected to the member and tothe clutch, actuated by the undue movement of the member in pulling'direction, and

means for regulating the pressure required.

to actuate the said release.

In testimony that I claim. the foregoing Witnesses: GLENHABT, W. E.SNYDER.

as my own, I have hereto aflixed my,s1gna:

